


The Boy with the Tin Chest and a Glass Heart

by louloubaby92



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alpha Harry, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Fluff, Happy Ending, Light Angst, M/M, Omega Louis Tomlinson, Smut, slight daddy kink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:54:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27480799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/louloubaby92/pseuds/louloubaby92
Summary: Alpha Harry Styles, world-renowned author of fairy-tales, is being persuaded by the Beta, Liam Payne to hire a new illustrator. Since Harry’s own illustrations are too graphic for what is supposed to be children’s stories, Liam feels the need is dire. Omega Louis does not agree with Liam since he believes that Harry’s stories are fine just the way they are. Of course this has nothing to do with Louis being totally biased or totally head over heels for Harry. It certainly has nothing to do with being jealous of the mysterious omega illustrator Liam has in mind to team Harry up with.Seriously, it has nothing to do with that at all. Nothing, absolutely nothing, zilch, nada.Yeah...
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson
Comments: 46
Kudos: 305
Collections: Bottom Louis Fic Fest 2020





	The Boy with the Tin Chest and a Glass Heart

**Author's Note:**

> so this was my prompt;  
> Prompt 143: Louis is an omega and he is so in love with Harry and follows him everywhere and does everything for him but Harry finds him “annoying” (in reality, he is in love with the omega). Then one day Louis over hears Harry telling one of his friends about an annoying omega who won’t leave him the fuck alone. Louis thinks Harry is talking about him so he starts ignoring Harry. Doesn’t follow him, talk to him, do anything for him. This confuses Harry, seeing as he really likes the boy. (Prompt Inspiration: Prompt 355 from the 2019 BLFF)
> 
> I hope I did okay with this one. Fic is inspired and very loosely based on the k-drama tv show, ''its okay not to be okay'' so there are many references from there and one other k-drama show (I wonder if any one of you will be able to guess which one ahahahahahah)

Chapter one:

I love you.

This one’s a big one. 사랑하다 (sa-rang-ha-da). You’ve probably heard it a hundred different times in dramas and movies, so let’s break it down into its parts.

사랑: love

하다: to have, to do, to make

When it’s not just a low-key crush but a big, aching feeling of love, we use 사랑하다. The verb can often stand alone with “I” and “you” simply implied. However, if we use a full sentence, it looks like this:

나는 너를 사랑해.

(na-neun neo-reul sa-rang-hae)

I love you.

Yeah, Louis thinks as he sighs internally. What he’s feeling is definitely something more than a low-key crush. Either that’s how he really feels or he’s been watching way too much Korean drama shows again. They do tend to get into his head sometimes, enough for him to get curious about love declaration terminologies in a foreign language.

But then he thinks about big boss and well…

Who is he kidding? He is so fucked.

He snaps out of it when Niall clears his throat. He comes back to earth then and immediately closes the web page out of his tablet before anyone could see it. As he zones back in, he realizes that Liam is still droning on about regulations.

it's nothing new really; everyone knows it's a requirement that all omegas and alphas use scent neutralizers at work. Louis has no problems with that, especially since the cost is part of the pay check they receive.

However, sometimes he wonders; if he didn’t have to cover his omega scent with neutralizers, maybe Harry would know exactly how much he’s turned on by him.

You see, Harry’s just sitting there on his beautiful golden throne (yes, they actually have a throne-like chair at the head of the table in the conference room. It’s normal, right? Harry is the boss after all), filing his nails while Liam drones on and done at the other side of the table. They’re having a meeting about the book reading event they are going to have in the children’s ward of a psychiatric hospital. Meanwhile, Harry is obviously not paying attention. He’s just sitting there, wearing the most beautiful purple suit with a big yellow bowtie, locks of hair combed to perfection and rings on display, bored out of his mind.

If Louis’ scent was not blocked, he wouldn’t be bored, Louis thinks. If he didn’t have to put on those neutralizers, Harry would look his way with those blazing alpha eyes of his, green orbs zoned in on him, paying attention to him the way he pays attention to the fine details of his work.

‘’Mr. Styles, are you listening to me?’’ Liam says sternly. Louis blinks out of his daydream and sits up. It's obvious that Liam is now down to business from the tone of his voice and he's glad that Liam hasn't noticed him; he didn’t know he had slouched in his chair or that his tongue was toying with the butt of his pencil, held lazily in his hand. He places the pencil on the desk and flushes when Harry stops filing his nails and looks around the table.

Louis, being the art director, is not the only one in the meeting. There is Zayn, Harry’s personal assistant. There is Niall, Liam’s secretary. There are Kendall and Kacey from the marketing team and there is Nick Grimshaw, head of editing.

Louis tries not to drown in his seat when Harry's eyes pass him by before they look up at Liam.

''You were saying?'' he says, tone bored.

Liam is actually really good friends with Harry. He had no prior successes before making it big with Harry's books and when Harry started up his own publishing company, he put Liam as the CEO, in charge of publishing and marketing his fairy tales. According to office gossip, Harry's parents disapproved of him being a writer; they wanted him to be a doctor or something but Harry decided to drop out of med school and write instead.

Without telling his parents, he'd worked on his first fairy tale instead of studying and when it got published, his parents dis-inherited him. But the book was so successful that he didn't need their money anymore. So, he set up the company and bought a condo, all before he'd turned 25. He's 26 now and it's been six years since that first fairy tale hit the shelves and with 10 books under his belt, he's taking the world by storm.

Sure, it has a lot to do with the fact that Harry's reputation precedes him. For a mere writer, he's quite the catch. He dresses so daringly during book signings and book reading events that he catches the media's eyes more often than not. To be fair, he’s also dated A-list celebrities and is known for being a show-stopper at award shows. It's come to the point where he's now on the list of most eligible alpha bachelors out there, going head to head with actors and musicians. Fascinating really, how he's so easily recognizable too but that's Harry for you, fashion maestro and fairy-tale writer extraordinaire.

''I was saying,'' Liam stands up. Louis can see his patience growing thin. ''That the first edition released books are under fire. According to our social media accounts, critics are saying your illustrations keep growing more and more grotesque with every book. Can't you tone it down a bit?''

''Tone down art?'' Harry asks, stunned.

''Kendall, tell us some of the comments on our fb account,'' Liam instructs.

''Yes, sir.'' Kendal says, eyes on her tablet. Louis feels for her; everyone around the table fears Harry. After all, he does tend to fire people for the slightest reasons. Louis, like the rest of the other employees at Styles and Payne's publishing company, still gets easily frazzled when he hears that Mr. Styles is in the building, making rounds. Big Boss, as he is known in the office, does like to come unannounced sometimes. It does tend to make people walk on eggshells as they work while Harry passes by cubicles and inspects desks.

''Well?'' Liam says, a tick in his jaw.

''Right, there is a comment here that says that Mr. Style’s illustrations are veering into Tim Burton territory,'' Kendal says, scrolling through the tablet. ''And there is another comment that says the latest book has a slight Quentin Tarantino vibe to it, therefore, not appropriate for children. Another comment says that...''

''So what?'' Harry interrupts her, back to filing his nails. ''My books have always been quite quirky.''

‘’Quirky?’’ Liam’s jaw drops. ‘’You call your illustrations quirky?’’

‘’Are they not?’’ Harry’s raises a perfectly trimmed eyebrow. Louis can almost see the fire about to ignite in his eyes.

''Look, how about we change it up a bit?'' Liam tries. It's a losing battle really, Louis thinks. Harry always gets what he wants. It’s quite hot. ''We release a coloured version for the second edition and that way, we have a black and white version and a coloured version. What do you say?''

''I don't like colour,'' Harry says dismissively.

''Have you seen your wardrobe?'' Liam asks, stunned.

''I don't like colour on paper,'' Harry corrects him.

''You know what?'' Liam says, taking his seat back and huffing. ''Let's just focus on the book reading event.''

Louis smiles when he sees Harry smirk. Gosh, he's a sexy beast.

...................................................................................................

''Mr. Styles, can I get you another coffee?'' Louis asks when the meeting ends. Zayn and Niall are busy coordinating the week's agenda and well, Louis doesn't really want to go back to his cubicle all that quickly like the rest of them. He's got more guts than that.

''Why do you ask?'' Harry asks, playing on his phone. His nails are manicured and painted dark lilac, almost the same shade of his suit. ''I just had coffee, it’s right there in front of you.''

Louis flushes. He did bring Harry coffee the moment he blazed into the room and took his seat on his throne (Although that Zayn's job but Zayn is very immune to Harry's posh-ness). Louis ought to ask how's he's developed such a shield.

''Right, Sorry.''

''Have you forgotten?'' Harry asks.

''No, sir.''

''Do you wish to poison me with an over-dose of caffeine?'' Harry teases, dimple popping.

''No, sir!'' Louis exclaims, fingers going white around his binder. That dimple is going to be the end of him.

''It's a fact that a person oughts to drink one bullet coffee a day,'' Harry states, stopping the game on his phone and looking up at Louis. Fuck, even his teasing is hot and Louis feels like melting in shame for loving it. ''You didn't even ask me what I wanted when this meeting started and I already had one bullet coffee at home. That's two cups of bullet coffee.''

''Sir, I am so sorry,'' Louis wants to turn into goo. Why is he so uncool in front of Harry? Why?

''What am I going to do with you?'' Harry continues, voice faux sympathetic. ''I didn't want to hinder this meeting so I didn't say anything about it but now I'm too jittery. Oh for fuck's sake!!!!!!!!!!!''

Louis staggers back as Harry shouts, long and hard.

''Zayn Malik, can you stop shamelessly flirting with my best mate for just one second?'' Harry asks after he was done shouting. ''I ought to fire your bony arse for being unprofessional while still on the job instead of letting you attend every meeting with me.''

Zayn and Liam look up from where they were standing a little too close to be professional.

Everyone in the office knows that there's something going on between Harry’s personal assistant and Harry’s number one publisher/C.E.O. Harry is always quick to make a scene and point it out when he catches them, more to twist Liam’s metaphorical panties than for anything else. All Louis cares about is that he's no longer in Harry's destructive coffee-induced path.

But to be honest, he wishes he could have his attention back. He’s just that pathetic.

''Shut up, Harry.'' Zayn mutters before he leaves Liam's side. ''Are you done terrorizing your art director about your shit taste in coffee?''

''My taste in coffee is not shit.'' Harry retaliates as he stands up. ''Go make yourself useful and get the car ready. I want to go back to working on my next masterpiece.''

''Yes, sir.'' Zayn says in mock salute. ''Oh and Louis, do ignore him. He's in a right proper strop today.''

''I'm going to fire you right now,'' Harry threatens as Zayn backs away to the door.

''You say that every day, big boss.'' Zayn says before he waltzes out.

‘’Why does everyone keep calling me that?’’ Louis hears Harry mutter.

Ah, if he only knew…

''Speaking of your next masterpiece,'' Liam starts as he approaches Harry. ''I was thinking of getting you an illustrator.''

''Hey, how are you holding up?'' Niall whispers to Louis as he sidles up next to him.

He and Niall are actually pretty good friends; Niall is easy going and tends to match Liam's temperament. He's laid back and can easily diffuse Liam's frustrations when Harry doesn’t bend to his will and follows his own whims instead.

''I almost poisoned big boss.'' Louis whispers back, watching as Harry and Liam talk like they're about to eat each other. Liam's face is turning redder by the second but Harry exudes nothing but power and disinterest, totally unfazed. He's got ''daddy'' written all over him...

Oh fuck.

Daddy?

He must’ve been listening to Beyoncé’s ‘Drunk in love’ again.

''Is the illustrator an omega?'' Harry asks.

What?

Louis' ears perk up.

''What? What does that have to do with anything?'' Liam asks before he shakes his head. ''Look, it will be nice for you to change things up a bit and at least this way, you focus more on the writing side of things. You almost passed your deadline the last time.''

''I didn’t, I am very clutch.''

''Sorry, I meant second deadline.'' Liam reminds him. ''I had to halt press day because of your lack of punctuality.''

''No, I texted you that I was lacking inspiration but I bet you were too busy shagging Zayn.'' Harry says in rebuttal.

''That is not true!'' Liam argues, eyeing Louis and Niall in the room before he clears his throat. ''You know, sometimes I cannot believe we're friends.''

''Do you need to tell me anything else?'' Harry asks as he pockets his phone.

''Think about the illustrator. I will be scheduling a meeting for you to meet a selection of them so that you can pick the one that can fit your style of writing and I will veto them before I give the green light.'' he adds hurriedly. ''Lest you shag one of them again.''

''I don't shag hired illustrators, that's unprofessional.'' Harry says succinctly. ''And that last one didn't have any contract with us despite her job description so it's technically not unethical.''

''So why did you ask if the illustrator is an omega?'' Liam says, eyes narrowed.

''To give me the chance to tell you no.'' Harry shakes his head before he heads for the door. ''You're getting old in your years, Liam. You're lucky I'm still around to keep you on your toes.''

''I fucking hate you, Harry Styles!'' Liam snaps loudly at Harry's back. ''You're the bane of my existence.''

''You make money off my books, Lima!'' Harry says before he cackles. ''See ya!''

Liam screams into the void, not caring that Niall and Louis are still there.

To be fair, it's not a strange occurrence. Harry always seems to have the most fun when he gets to pinch Liam's metaphorical nipples. Liam does tend to be a stick-up at work.

''Lewis?''

''It's Louis, sir.'' Louis corrects him.

''Right, since you're the art director, I want you to get me a list of names of illustrators whose style matches that of Harry's,'' Liam instructs. ''Are you writing this down?''

''Yes, sir.'' Louis opens his binder and starts scribbling.

''Now, I don't want it a 100 percent match and I don’t want anyone who has worked with Harry's contenders. Also make sure they have a lighter tone to their art, I don't want anyone feeding any more graphic ideas into that mad head of his.''

''Should I make the list based on secondary gender, sir?'' Louis asks.

''No, Harry doesn’t really care about that.'' Liam dismisses. ''Look for the talent, Louis. Look for the art. That's all that matters.''

''Yes, of course.''

''Niall, have you confirmed the press attendance for the book reading event?'' Liam asks his secretary before he looks back at Louis. ''You're dismissed.''

''Sir, if I may,'' Louis ventures.

''What?''

''As you pointed out, I'm the art director here,'' Louis starts. ''But I've actually applied here as an illustrator and you told me in my interview that this position is temporary until...''

''Louis, you will not illustrate for Harry's books.'' Liam interrupts him. ''He has a very poor sense of decorum and he is not one to be messed with. I already told you, you can do illustrations for the other authors we have contracts with but you chose to work on Harry's books, therefore, you're his main art director. Do we need to have a repeat of this conversation?''

''But you're looking for illustrators now...''

''Yes, one that can work for us temporarily before Harry fucks it up.'' Liam says patiently. ''You're too important here, Lewis. You do a great job and your perspective and say do make an incredible difference. Trust me, working with Harry one on one will make you quit. You've seen it happen.''

To be fair, Liam does have a point. Harry had fired marketing guys before, fired a dozen personal assistants before Zayn came around. He actually made the previous art director quit when he'd tried to make Harry change his illustrations instead of approve of them. At this point, Louis is lucky to be able to attend meetings and certain events with him, let alone direct his work of art. He approves of them because he is a huge massive fan and he really likes Harry's take on the fairy tale world. Sometimes he wonders if the reason Liam is so cold towards him is because he doesn’t put up a fight with Harry or try to make him change his illustrations, instead sending them straight for the printers.

It only happened once. Louis is lucky that _Liam_ didn’t fire him that one time.

''Yes, sir.'' Louis sighs, upset over his missed opportunity again. If the pay wasn't so great and he didn't have the bonus of being a part of Harry's main team, he would have already started looking elsewhere, searching for a job to become the ultimate illustrator there was.

''You're dismissed,'' Liam repeats before he turns back to Niall. Louis returns back to his cubicle and opens up a web search page. He's got a new task to do.

** Chapter two **

Louis is doing final check-ups on the slides that will be displayed on the projector for the book reading event. It’s one of the quirks of being the art director, turning Harry’s books digital friendly. He’s focused on his work when Harry enters the stage, hands in his pockets and totally alone.

Louis jumps on the chance.

''Sir, do you need anything?'' Louis asks eagerly.

''Yes, coffee please,'' Harry says dismissively. He doesn’t even look at him but no matter, he must be nervous. Louis leaves his clip board next to his work laptop and runs down the stairs and off the stage, heading for the refreshment table. He knows Harry's taste in coffee by now after over-hearing Harry order Zayn around.

But then, his hands freeze over the sugar packets. What if Harry already had his customary bullet coffee? What if he's just being polite again? What if he gets jittery again?

No, he wouldn't ask unless he really had one already. Louis makes the coffee quickly, knows that Harry wouldn’t want to be kept waiting.

''Here you go,'' Louis says, offering the hot cup of coffee with both hands.

''Thank you,'' Harry says, sat on the chair prepare for him, a pristine-looking copy of his latest book on the glass table in front of him. Harry holds the cup of coffee aside as he taps the mic.

''I'll get the tech-guy to set that up right away,'' Louis says and runs off back stage to find the man in charge. It's still an hour before the event but it seems Harry wants to do his rehearsal now.

The tech guy arrives begrudgingly and starts setting up Harry's microphone. Louis notices that Harry's cup is already empty –Louis knows he likes his drinks to be lukewarm- and quickly takes it from his hand and starts looking for a bin to throw it in.

''Are you trying to take Zayn's job?'' Harry asks. Louis stops looking around when he realizes that Harry is addressing him.

''Excuse me?''

''Why are you always fussing when I'm around?'' Harry asks. There's no malice in his voice but he sounds…frustrated, masked only by his curiosity. ''Is Zayn not doing his job the way he's supposed to?''

To be fair, Zayn is excellent at his job. He always gets Harry's car on time and he always brings him early because he knows that Harry tends to take time dressing up, likes to arrive ''fashionably'' late. He's like a ninja working in the shadows, getting everything done, from replying to all of Harry’s work emails promptly to organizing his day without a single hiccup.

Louis is slightly jealous of his awesomeness.

''No sir,'' Louis tries.

''No? You mean he's not doing his job?''

''That's not what I mean...''

''Then what do you mean?''

''I...he's not here now and I thought...''

''You thought I needed help?'' Harry asks, slightly teasing.

Oh here we go again, Louis thinks.

''I've got functioning limbs just like you...unless you think there is something wrong with me?''

''No, sir!''

''Do you want to tell me something then?'' Harry continues.

''I just really like you!'' Louis blurts out.

What?

Did he just...

Oh fuck...even the tech guy turns to look at him where he's adjusting the height of the projector screen.

How morbidly mortifying!

''You like me?'' Harry repeats.

''Um...''

''But that's not professional,'' Harry points out. He's relaxing in his seat now, pulling one leg over the other, one hand across his lap and the other bent across the back of his chair.

Louis is about to be eaten alive.

''Yes, I know that and...''

''We work together. Actually, you work for me.''

''Yes sir, I...''

''You know that but you like me anyways.'' Harry concludes. ''Is it because I'm Alpha and you're omega? Is it a natural chemistry thing?''

Louis wants the ground to open up and swallow him.

''Answer me, please.'' Harry prods.

''I don't know, sir.''

''You don't know why you like me?''

''I do but...''

''But?'' Harry pauses. Louis flushes even more, eyes on the ground. ''Am I going to keep guessing the source of your affections or are you going to spill it out?''

''I like your work,'' Louis says quickly.

''Is this ''Louis telling Harry what he likes'' day?'' Harry grins lazily, relishing putting Louis on the spot. ''You're avoiding my question.''

''Which question, sir?''

''Seriously?''

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

Where is Zayn? Where is Liam? Niall? Why aren't they here to save him from this mess?

''You know what?'' Harry sighs, a slight tilt to his lips. ‘’How about…?''

Harry’s phone starts ringing. Whatever Harry way about to say, he looks like he really wants to say it. The way he begrudgingly looks at the screen of his phone makes it look like he was heavily interrupted.

‘’I need to take this,’’ Harry tells him.

‘’Yes sir,'' Louis says before he turns around hurriedly and sits back in front of his laptop.

Fuck, standing that near to Harry got him close enough to get a whiff of his alpha scent. Harry doesn’t dim it like everyone else at work –perks of being the boss. But being in close proximity and right under his microscope made Louis get an extra dose of it. Harry's alpha scent is all sandal wood and cinnamon and Louis' omega is like a fool, giddy from the encounter but Louis feels utterly humiliated for his lack of decorum.

Man, what is he going to do now? Pretend like nothing's happened? Go back to acting normal?

Yeah, normal. He can do that. He can definitely do that.

He still hasn't found a bin for Harry's cup of coffee. He'll start with that; throwing trash out is normal, right?

.................................................................................

The book reading event is going well.

The children are all sat in the seats with their guardians, scattered around the little theatre the hospital has for seminars. Some of the hospital staff members are also in attendance. Zayn had been outside when Harry had snuck into the theatre, helping out with the table that held Harry’s books for those who would like to purchase some and are interested in autographs. Harry said he won’t sign anything unless it’s for the kids so Zayn wanted to see how many of the staffers and out-siders who know about the event want his autograph after the book reading as that will affect Harry’s schedule. Louis can see him next to Niall and the people from marketing sat in the front row. The press are in the back and sides, leaving the children in the middle seats.

Louis is sat just to the side of the stage, ready with the slides as Liam concludes his introduction of the event. Harry is dressed in a fiery red Gucci suit, with a long satin ribbon tie and high-heeled ankle boots. His nails are all painted in red and his dress shirt is black. When the spotlight shines on him, Harry sits up and smiles beatifically at his audience. Louis’ hand on the curser is ready.

They've done this a couple of times before and as always, Louis gets lost in Harry's melodic voice.

‘’Once upon a time, a beautiful baby girl was born into a wealthy family. She was as beautiful and flawless as magnolias.’’ Harry starts. His illustration of a mother holding a baby in her arms appears on the projector screen. ‘’Her mother loved her so much that she pledged that she would do anything and everything for her baby. She said she would even present to her the sun and the moon.’’

Louis hears the familiar sound of pages flipping that usually accompanies Harry’s voice in these settings. He’s a wonderful story-teller, knows how to transition from one scene to the next as effortlessly as the turning of a page.

‘’When the baby girl started eating solid food,’’ Harry continued. ‘’Her mother was thrilled. ‘My sweet child,’ she said. ‘I will feed you everything you want to eat. Open your mouth wide. Like this,’ and the baby did as her mother told. When the baby started walking, her mother ran hurriedly to where she was. ‘My sweet child,’ she said. ‘I will carry on. Hop on my back.’ And the child did as her mother told. After raising the baby by always providing for her with everything she needed, the mother said this. ‘My beloved child, I need some rest now. Can you get me some food?’ Then the child spoke. ‘Mum, I have no hands. I never used them, so they’ve vanished from me.’ ‘Then my sweet child,’ the mum said. ‘Can you carry me on your back? My legs hurt.’ Then the child said this. ‘Mum, I have no feet. You always carried me on your back, so I’ve never even stepped on the ground. All I have is my huge mouth.’ And then, she opened her humongous mouth.’’

Harry paused for a moment and Louis can see him gauging his hushed audience. He’s like a spider that has captured its prey and has put them in a dream-like state. Even Louis, he feels mesmerized by the storyline, by the workings of Harry’s mind.

‘’Then the mother shouted in anger. ‘You are not my perfect baby after all. You’re just like a useless monkfish. All you can do is eat what I feed you. You can’t do anything on your own. You’re an utter failure. Then the mother threw her baby away into the faraway sea.’’

Louis can hear the child-like gasps from the audience.

‘’…Ever since that day, it has been said that fishermen can hear a baby’s cry on spooky, windy days out on the sea. ‘Mum, mum, what did I do wrong? Please come and get me. Please come back and get me.’’’

Harry then looked up at his captivated audience.

‘’But the mum never did.’’ Harry ended.

** Chapter three **

_I was appalled!_

_He writes children’s fairy tales? More like horror stories!_

_I can’t believe my kid likes his books_

_Well, he is good-looking_

_What a hottie alpha :D @HarryStyles, can I call you papi???_

_I can listen to him talk all day :D_

_His voice is a dream…_

_Such bedroom voice!!!_

_He is all looks and no talent, his stories are horrifying!_

_Isn’t he dating that omega actor who appeared in Dunkirk?_

_He’d be lovely on the screen!_

_I need more deets on his love life stat. Thoughts anyone?_

‘’Let’s start?’’

Louis closes his tablet as soon as Harry enters the conference room. He’d been reading the buzz on the company’s main website, catching up with the feedback from the book reading event. Again, the comments are nothing out of the norm after years of publishing Harry’s brand of fairy tales. Yes, he is an appealing alpha (Louis has eyes) and yes, his voice is hot (Louis has ears) but his fairy tales are amazing and he is truly a talented writer. It’s not like fairy tales were actually based on loving stories. Everybody in the Literature world knows what Snow white was really about, so duh.

‘’Let’s not make this boring, shall we?’’ Harry requests as he takes his seat. He’s in an all-white suit today with a lovely baby blue shirt underneath, unbuttoned to the chest. The cut is so low that it reveals a peak of his butterfly tattoo. Hmm, what Louis would do to lick his chest and…

‘’Alright, let’s discuss the strategy for the book signing event at the National Library….’’ Liam starts.

Louis opens his agenda takes down his notes diligently but in all honesty, he’s a bit distracted. You see, Harry smells extra good today and when he takes a peak, he sees Harry already looking his way.

Shit.

Louis looks back at his notes and tries not to flush.

Next, Liam discusses the 2nd edition of ‘’The Hand, the Monkfish’’ because of course he’ll bring it up again. Louis had supervised the final edits and touches of the coloured version and he’s expecting an upheaval from Harry. Surprisingly, Liam talks his way through the release date of the new edition and the possibility of having it ready for the book signing event and Harry…doesn’t interrupt once.

Louis takes another peak from underneath his fringe and once again, Harry is staring straight at him.

Fuck, is this about what he said back in the hospital?

Or maybe Harry is nearing his rut. Louis isn’t the only omega in the conference room but he is sitting the closest and Harry’s scent is extra divine today…

Perhaps…

‘’Alright, meeting adjourned.’’ Liam says with finality.

‘’We’re not in a court room, Lima.’’ Harry drawls as he breaks eye contact slowly and looks at Liam.

‘’We need to talk,’’ Liam says before he dismisses everyone. Louis takes his time gathering his things because well, he wants to enjoy Harry’s pre-rut scent a little longer. He’s a single omega and a little scent admiration has never hurt anybody.

However, right as he’s about to close the door, his ears perk.

‘’That omega is so annoying,’’ he hears Harry say.

Louis knows that eavesdropping is wrong but he has the gut feeling that Harry might be talking about him. He keeps his ears pressed against the door and listens.

‘’Harry, you didn’t even give him a chance,’’ Liam says in earnest.

‘’Oh please, you and your chance-giving can stick it where the sun don’t shine,’’ Harry interrupts. ‘’His scent is revolting and…’’

‘’You haven’t even tried working with him,’’

‘’And I won’t. I’ve seen enough of him and trust me; he’s a pain, Liam. I can’t work with annoying omega brats.’’

‘’He’s not a brat, you’ve known him for years.’’

‘’Doesn’t mean I ever liked him.’’

‘’Harry…’’

‘’I refuse means I refuse.’’ Louis hears the scrape of a chair. ‘’Find me an illustrator if you want but it won’t be that short, bratty, hovering little omega who doesn’t want to do anything but get in my pants or worse, get ahead in his pathetic excuse of a career. Are we clear?’’

Oh fuck...

Shit.

‘’Fine, fine…’’ Liam sighs, the sound of rustling papers stirring Louis enough to make him walk back to his cubicle before Harry can humiliate him some more.

Louis tries not to cry as Harry walks by his cubicle on the way out, tries not to turn red when Harry doesn’t even look his way, long strides taking him out of the office faster than he’d even entered.

Well, there goes his chance of ever working with Harry, let alone talking to him ever again.

It’s Louis’ fault, he knows. He’s always been too caring, too subservient, always wants to please others, always keen to help others. He never thought his actions would make Harry find him an annoying brat.

Man, he totally ball-screwed it up back at the book-reading event and now, Liam, bless him, has tried to vouch for him only for Harry to cut through his words like a knife.

He’s never felt more like a fool.

As he wallows in despair, he feels his phone vibrate in his pocket. He takes it out and sees an on-going conversation in the WhatsApp chat group he shares with Niall and Zayn.

Nialler: Drinks tonight at Paul’s?

Zayn: I’m in

Nialler: Lou?

Louis needs to drown in alcohol tonight and there’s nothing like a pub outing to heal a humiliated soul.

Lou: I’m so in.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

‘’He hates my guts,’’

Louis mumbles in a drunken haze. He appreciates Zayn and Niall for piling him up with one drink after another but he still cannot get over Harry’s cutting words.

‘’Yes, you said it about a hundred times,’’ Niall says drily.

‘’It hurts, Ni.’’

‘’Look, I really don’t think he was talking about you,’’ Zayn says, eyes on his phone, probably sending Liam heart eyes.

‘’He was; he said short, bratty and hovering.’’ Louis pouts.

‘’Are you any of those things?’’ Niall asks, exasperated.

‘’Doesn’t matter, he thinks I am!’’ Louis whines.

‘’Here, here,’’ Niall pushes another pint towards him. ‘’Drink up,’’

‘’He doesn’t want me to be his illustrator,’’ Louis hiccups after he downs half the beer. ‘’He doesn’t ever want to work with me.’’

‘’Louis, you’ve edited and worked over all his illustrations,’’ Zayn sighs. ‘’He’s been working with you for years.’’

‘’Yes, but that was me working for him not with him. Now, I had my chance to work closer to him and I’ve ruined it!’’

‘’How exactly did you ruin it by eavesdropping?’’

That’s when Louis realizes that he’s never told them about what happened on stage during the book-reading event.

When he does, Niall cackles and Zayn’s eyebrows go up, finally putting his phone aside.

‘’You told him you liked him?’’ he asks.

‘’Yeah and like, even the tech-guy looked like he felt bad for me…I could tell.’’ Louis says before he sighs. ‘’I was so pathetic.’’

‘’Maybe Harry found the audience unappealing.’’ Niall offers. ‘’I’m sure he didn’t want to wear his heart on his sleeve with people looking.’’

‘’It was just one person…’’

‘’One person is enough to cause a scene, Lou…’’

‘’Are you sure he has a heart?’’ Louis drawls, ignoring Niall’s words.

‘’Yeah, Lou, you know what he’s like.’’ Zayn says gently.

‘’No, I don’t.’’

‘’He has a certain image to adhere to and you said you two weren’t exactly alone.’’ Zayn points out. ‘’You’ve got to be more understanding here.’’

‘’Oh and if we were alone, he’d swoop me off my feet and tell me he’d liked me too?’’ Louis says sarcastically.

‘’Put yourself in his shoes for a minute, Lou.’’ Niall says kindly. ‘’Wouldn’t you be surprised too?’’

‘’Yeah,’’ Louis lays his upper body on the table, drunken haze taking over. ‘’It’s all my fault.’’

‘’Lou…’’

‘’I will never make him a cup of coffee again.’’ Louis burps. He sits up and grabs a pint glass, rising in a toast. ‘’From now on, I, Louis Tomlinson, will treat myself better and stop pining over unreachable alphas.’’

‘’This will be fun.’’ Zayn mutters as he watches Louis empty his pint glass.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Louis wakes up the next day with the hang over of all hang overs.

He’s quiet as he sits at his desk, headache splitting him in two. When Harry isn’t terrorizing everyone or showing up unannounced, people can actually get some work done around here and that includes Louis.

He tries to tell himself he doesn’t really want to see boss man anyways. He tries to tell himself that he’s tired of fixing Harry’s office desk before he arrives, tired of clearing his rubbish bin, tired of making sure his favourite brand of coffee is by the coffee machine, tired of trying to upstage Zayn and tired of doing anything to get his attention.

He tries but doesn’t stop looking at the door all day, waiting for a show-stopping person with a glittery suit and a tousled mane of hair to enter and start wreaking havoc.

It’s a slow day and due to his hang over, he’s grateful. Aside from a miss-hap with the printers, nothing unusual happens. He tries to tell himself that excitement in the office isn’t always caused by Harry Styles, fashion sensation and talented writer.

Of course, abysmally fails.

Still, on his way home, he remembers his vow made in a drunken stupor. Harry is out of reach and it’s about time he realizes that, about time that he stops trying to grab his attention by trying to offer him help that he doesn’t need. Harry is a perfectly capable individual who does not need a new illustrator or any omega at all. It’s about time that Louis accepts that.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

He is in the National Library of Arts and Literature with Liam when out of nowhere, Harry approaches him.

‘’Are you alright?’’ he asks. Usually, when Harry is about to make a new masterpiece, Louis goes to the library to do some research on artistic approaches that he can use to improve on Harry’s illustrations. Since he is the most familiar with Harry’s macabre way of drawing his characters, he tends to do the research alone, leaving Liam and Niall to wander about. Mostly, they come along to sniff out the competition, check out the other books that are up against Harry’s and see the appeal in them. Liam usually sits quietly on one side with a pile of books, reading in silence and sometimes scoffing to himself. Louis is glad that Harry has Liam on his corner. He has always been a massive supportive of Harry's work, fiercely loyal and always taking Harry's side no matter their mismatched characters.

Speaking of Harry…

‘’What are you doing here?’’ Louis cannot help but ask. When he looks around, Liam is no longer in his seat but out on the balcony with a cup of coffee and what seems like a very heated phone call. Niall is just standing next to him, probably playing fruit ninja on his phone and bored out of his mind.

He’s left defenceless and alone against Harry Styles.

As always, the alpha does not do anything half-way. Harry is wearing a very beautiful, very high-end green jumpsuit. His nails are painted black and he’s got an extravagant ring on every finger.

‘’Enjoying my off day.’’ Harry answers. ‘’Are you working?’’

Louis looks at the pile of books scattered around him, one open under his palms. It’s a book about mechanical drawings shaped like humans. Very intriguing stuff.

‘’Yes,’’ Louis replies. ‘’Can I help you with anything?’’

‘’You seem to be the one helping me.’’ Harry points out when he looks down at the books.

‘’Just doing my job,’’ Louis says, cheeks blushing. He can never help himself, even now.

‘’Are you nearing a heat?’’ Harry asks suddenly, making Louis splutter at him.

‘’That’s very inappropriate!’’ Louis then realizes he’s not wearing any scent blockers. He’d figured he’s not going to the office today so he didn’t bother and besides, Liam is a beta and Niall is a friend. It won’t make a difference to them. ‘’And none of your business.’’

‘’Sorry,’’ Harry’s shoulders hunch when he puts his hands behind his back, like he’d been scolded. The mannerism is such juxtaposition with the confident, cocky Harry that Louis knows. It’s a bit mind-boggling. ‘’You just…smell really good today.’’

‘’Um…’’ Louis is apparently getting shocked today. Was that on the agenda? Did he miss something on his work schedule?

‘’Are you alright?’’ he asks carefully. Maybe Harry is high. He’d seen him in the office this past week and he’d seemed fine. He still gave Liam hell, he still called out Zayn whenever he so much as looked Liam’s way and he still made everyone’s jaws drop whenever he made his grand entrance, which was several times. Usually Harry passes by the office twice a week by he'd been by every day this time. Louis thinks it has to do with his artistic differences with Liam about his latest masterpiece.

‘’You’ve been different this whole week.’’ Harry notes before he suddenly sits down next to him, body turned towards Louis. His eyes narrow as he ticks off his fingers. ‘’You stopped making me coffee during meetings, my desk is a clutter and my rubbish bin is all stacked up and my favourite sticky note pad is gone.’’

‘’The one with the dream-catchers?’’

‘’Yes, that one. It’s not been stocked!’’ Harry exclaims. ‘’Also, my favourite fountain pen is running out of ink. I should fire Zayn, that’s what I should do.’’

‘’Um…why?’’

‘’Because he can’t be in two places at once!’’ Harry replies swiftly. ‘’He should be able to do that; that’s what he was hired for!’’

Yeah, he’s definitely tripping.

‘’Sir…how can you expect him to clean your office when he’s picking up your laundry and your mail and sitting with you in the car on the way over to update you on the meeting’s agenda?’’ Louis asks, aghast. ‘’That’s impossible.’’

‘’Then you haven’t been paying attention to me lately.’’ Harry accuses.

Louis’ cheeks burn further, eyes turning away from Harry’s blazing ones and looking down at the book beneath his fingers. He cannot see anything, too hyped over the verbal bomb that Harry just dropped.

‘’I didn’t think you’d noticed.’’ Louis says quietly.

The silence stretches for an awkward while that Louis picks his head up and looks next to him. Is Harry actually blushing?

‘’I notice.’’ Harry says, voice unusually soft. His eyes are on his fingers where he’s fiddling with his rings. ‘’I’ve noticed you since the day you started working for me.’’

‘’What?’’

‘’Oh hey Harry!’’

Louis and Harry look up and see Liam entering the room.

‘’What are you doing here?’ Liam asks, hands on his hips. ‘’You’re supposed to be meeting the new omega illustrator any minute now.’’

‘’I already told you I’m not.’’ Harry grits. ‘’I came here to tell him no and he left. Happy?’’

‘’I thought you were enjoying your day off.’’ Louis says.

‘’I am, it didn’t even take me a minute.’’ Harry smirks before he turns back to Liam. ‘’Bring any more of them and I’ll fire you, got it?’’

‘’Then who on earth are you going to work with?’’ Liam nearly stomps his foot, like a child. ‘’A deal is a deal, Harry. You promised me you’d do this.’’

‘’I met everyone on the first list you sent, just like I said I would and I hated every single one of them.’’

‘’It’s not my problem that you’re high-maintenance!’’ Liam snaps. ‘’Besides, you agreed…’’

‘’You got me drunk last night and made me sign a paper to meet the one person I didn't want to work with ever.’’ Harry hisses. ‘’What kind of best friend are you?’’

‘’The kind that knows all your deepest secrets!’’ Liam hisses back, cutting Louis a look before smirking at Harry. ‘’That contract stands and drunk or not, it is binding. You have got to find an illustrator to do your next work, end of story!’’

‘’Fine, Louis will be my new illustrator then.’’ Harry announces challengingly before he stands up.

‘’You are kidding me.’’ Louis gasps.

‘’Oh is that so?’’ Liam narrows his eyes at Harry.

‘’Yes, effective immediately.’’ Harry stands to his full height before he waves at Liam. ‘’Off you go now; you have a new art director to hire. Louis?’’

‘’Yes?’’ Louis feels like he’s in a daze. What is happening?

‘’Gather your things,’’ Harry instructs. ‘’We’ll be working in my home office today.’’

What the fuck? Did he just get invited to Harry’s house?

And then he’s off, waltzing away like he didn’t just drop a bombshell. Louis is frozen in his seat. Seriously, what just happened?

‘’Louis!’’ Niall hisses, snapping him out of his dazed shock.

‘’What?’’

‘’Go after him, man!’’ Niall gesticulates towards Harry’s direction.

It propels Louis into action and off he goes after alpha boss man, mind blank and boggled.

** Chapter 4 **

‘’You don’t seem comfortable,’’ Harry notes. Louis doesn’t know how the alpha can look so calm, driving down with what seems like the speed of light. Sure, Louis has never been in a fast car before but at the same time, he didn’t think it would be this terrifying. Harry is dodging cars left and right like he’s on a high speed chase. Louis is literally clinging to his seatbelt with one eye open while Harry is leaned back in his seat, one hand on the steering wheel.

‘’Please slow down,’’ Louis begs before he sees an incoming truck and just closes both eyes altogether. Seriously, who would’ve thought he would die in Harry Styles’ car?

‘’Oh well, we’re almost there anyways.’’ Harry says easily.

Louis peaks one eye open and yes, they’ve definitely stopped. But then, Louis loses his breath again altogether.

‘’We’re in a forest,’’ Louis notes.

‘’Yes, I know.’’ Harry shrugs before he turns the car down a slightly lumpy road and starts going into the heart of the forest. Louis watches as they bypass trees and foliage. The woods thicken on both sides of the car, almost blocking the last rays of the afternoon sun. Finally, they emerge up a slightly steep hill and come in front of a short road leading up to an iron wrought gate.

The house beyond…is literally as big as a castle.

Correction; it is a castle. It’s covered in cobwebs from the outside with vines climbing up the stone walls. The place looks drastically large, with balconies made of intricate designs. It’s so grand and haunting, straight out of a fairy tale.

‘’You sure live up to your life's work,’’ Louis cannot help but say.

''And not people's expectations?''

''And that too I think,''

‘’Right,’’ Harry snorts derisively. It gives Louis the impression that he’s just made Harry quite upset.

‘’Sorry,’’

‘’Not your fault people like to talk about me,’’ Harry shrugs as he clicks on a button by the gate and punches in a code. The gate opens and he drives the car right up to the bottom of the marble steps leading up to a huge oak door.

‘’They can’t help it.’’ Louis says. He waits until Harry turns off the ignition to continue. ‘’You give them something to talk about.’’

Harry’s eyes are intense on him.

‘’And you? Do you talk about me?’’

‘’Would it make you upset if I do?’’

‘’It depends.’’ Harry pauses. His alpha scent gets a bit intense in the car, almost rivalling his stare. It’s so heady and Louis feels pinned to his seat.

‘’On what?’’

‘’Well, you said you liked me.’’ Harry reminds him. ‘’Is that true or were you just pulling my leg?’’

Louis turns away, unable to bear the reminder. He’ll admit, the way Harry reacted to his impulsive admission left him feeling uneasy but at the same time, taking it back will feel like a lie.

‘’It is true,’’ he says quietly, fiddling with his thumbs.

‘’So Liam was right.’’

‘’What?’’ Louis’ head snaps up.

‘’Zayn told me that you liked me long before you ever said anything.’’ Harry tells him. ‘’But I thought he was just teasing me and I didn’t want to put you on the spot about something that may not be true.’’

‘’But it is true.’’ Louis says boldly.

‘’I had no way of knowing that,’’ Harry smiles softly. ‘’You were so helpful around the office, so nice to everyone, I didn’t realize I was the exception and then…’’

‘’…then?’’

‘’You just stopped, you ignored me.’’ Harry frowns. ‘’Why?’’

Louis looks away again, that uneasy feeling creeping up his veins and making him feel…ashamed.

‘’I didn’t see the point.’’ He admits.

‘’The point of what?’’

‘’Pursuing something out of reach.’’

The silence in the car, following that statement is so paper thin that one could cut it with a knife.

‘’That’s the one thing I’ve always liked about myself,’’ Harry eventually says, making Louis turn his eyes to him. ‘’But not anymore,’’

With that, he opens the car door and steps out.

Louis, a heartbeat later, follows.

** Chapter 5: **

‘’What do you…?’’

He wants to ask what Harry means, what he liked about being out of reach and what’s changed his mind, but the moment the doors open, he’s awe-struck by the interior of the place.

Beyond the oval entrance is a massive staircase dividing in two, covered in dark carpet. There’s a heavy-looking chandelier hanging in the middle, grand and old-fashioned. As soon as Harry turns on the lights, the chandelier bulbs light up from what seems like millions of electric candles.

None of that grabs his attention as much as the extraordinary library that Harry enters to his right. Louis is a book lover by heart, loves the feel of paper in his hands and would never be found dead with a Kendal and therefore, the view that greets his eyes is simply…breath-taking.

The library has an upper part too. The walls are all lined up with rows upon rows of books. The spines that Louis can see are old, leather bound and first edition. He would have loved to stare all day if not for the state of the furniture.

Apart from a sofa and a work table, the other furniture is all covered with white blankets, collecting cobwebs and dust. There’s a smell to the place too, the smell of old paper and old wood, like grandma’s cabin and grandma’s blankets, ancient and from a time, far away from the modern world.

‘’Welcome to my office,’’ Harry says, voice catching him off-guard. He’s stood behind the chair pushed into the work table. The surface of said table is covered in inked paper and a laptop.

Harry’s work place, the place where he writes his masterpieces, is right there, for Louis to see.

‘’You were serious?’’ Louis finds his voice. ‘’About me being your illustrator?’’

‘’Yes,’’ Harry replies definitely. ‘’But before we talk about that, I have some things I want to say first.’’

‘’Like?’’

‘’Like the fact that I like you so much,’’ Harry says, voice slightly trembling. ‘’I've actually liked you for a while.''

''Um...''

''...and every time I tried to open my mouth and say something about it, I just couldn’t. For some reason, it was just easier to tease you and work you up instead.’’

Oh…

Wait a minute….

‘’That can’t be true,’’ Louis denies. There’s a wide space between where he and Harry are standing but it feels wider, like an ocean apart. For all the years that he has worked for Harry, there has never been a sign or even an indication of what Harry is saying and Louis has been looking. He can’t have been so blind.

‘’It is true,’’ Harry says, affronted.

‘’No, because you told Liam that I’m a brat and that you’d never ever want to work with annoying omega brats,’’ Louis recites, unable to help his bitter tone. ‘’You’ve known me for years but you refuse to…’’

‘’Who said I was talking about you?’’ Harry interrupts, moving away from behind the chair. Louis didn’t realize that he had stepped closer too, until they were beside the table, facing each other with no barriers, almost five feet apart. ‘’And were you eavesdropping?’’

‘’That’s beside the point,’’ Louis says, unable to admit about overhearing Harry and Liam speaking about omega illustrators. It’s too late to take it back anyways. ‘’My point is, Liam telling me that it would be a disaster working with you must’ve come from somewhere or someone!’’

‘’It didn’t fucking come from me!’’ Harry says furiously. ‘’And if it ever did, it’s because it would be unbearable working that closely with you!’’

Louis feels like he’d been slapped.

‘’I mean,’’ Harry’s eyes widen, like he didn’t mean his outburst. ‘’I didn’t mean it like that…’’

‘’Like what?’’ Louis feels tears of humiliation prickling his eyes.

‘’I mean, I’d jump your bones, Louis.’’ Harry says helplessly. ‘’Do you know how impossible it would be for me to stay away then?’’

‘’You’ve been doing it for years!’’ Louis cries.

‘’Well, it’s all your damn fault!’’ Harry roars.

‘’How is it my fault?’’

‘’You don’t remember?’’ Harry asks, shocked.

‘’Remember what?’’

‘’For heaven’s sake,’’ Harry heaves. ‘’The day of the new head-quarter’s grand opening? Ring any bells?’’

Huh?

Oh…

Oh no!

‘’You were flirting with someone else!’’ Louis exclaims, but he remembers that day as clear as crystal.

He remembers dressing up to the nines for the party, encouraged by Zayn and Niall, sure that this time around, he will grab Harry’s attention. It was only a year after he’d started working for the alpha’s publishing company and already he and the lads were as thick as thieves.

A few minutes into the party, Harry had made his grand speech, dressed like an immortal prince among mere men. Everyone wanted to be in his orbit, that he could not be found in one place too long, nor could Louis ever get him alone. Not to mention that an hour after said speech, Zayn had disappeared and was seen hanging off of Liam’s arm. Niall was holding court with a group of mates and he was left sulking in a corner. As the night progressed, Louis had eventually gravitated towards the bar and there, an obnoxious alpha wouldn’t stop bothering him.

You see, the bar was the perfect vantage point for him. He was too busy staring at Harry from across the room to pay attention to the alpha that was trying and failing to carry a conversation with him. Louis could not care less though, because his attention was honed to a pretty female omega that kept touching Harry while he spoke to his peers. it annoyed him that Harry was being unflappable about it.

He remembers feeling rage, jealousy and maybe a tiny hint of despair. He’d had high hopes that night and in the end, he was stood up by his friends and was not once seen by Harry.

He remembers ordering one drink after another. By the end of the night, he was sat alone by the bar, no obnoxious alpha to be found.

It was only then that Harry had approached him…

‘’Don’t misinterpret people trying to warp me into their circles with me flirting with anything that fucking moves.’’ Harry hisses.

‘’I don’t believe the papers Harry but I have eyes and …’’

‘’And you were mighty drunk,’’ Harry interrupts him, eyes turned soft. He looks tired, like it’s taking a lot to reveal all his feelings, feelings Louis knew nothing about, still knows nothing about. ‘’I kept stealing glances of you across the room while that stupid alpha kept trying to get your attention but you were not in the mood. Luckily he left you alone or I would have caused a scene.’’

‘’You wouldn’t have…’’ Louis says quietly.

‘’I really would have,’’ Harry smiles slightly before he schools his face. ‘’I approached you at the end of the night and called an Uber for you, texted Niall to ride with you. You were not in the mood for me either.’’

‘’I was drunk.’’ Louis reminds him. ‘’You can’t hold it against me.’’

‘’But you kept telling me, while we waited for the cab, that you hated me.’’ Harry tells him sadly. ‘’And yes, you were drunk but it seemed like you meant it too, the way you kept repeating it.’’

‘’I said that?’’

‘’Yes.’’ Harry confirms. ‘’You also did not remember anything the next day at work. I kept looking at you but you always returned blank looks at me. I decided to let it go.’’

‘’And that’s it?’’ Louis feels stunned. ‘’You gave up because of one small drunken moment?’’

To be fair, Louis remembers burrowing into Harry while they waited out on the cold street for the car to arrive. He remembers the rambling of Harry’s chest as he talked to Niall on the phone, ordering him to come outside. He remembers the scent of foreign omegas on Harry’s clothes and thinking how much he hated it.

He didn’t think Harry would misunderstand him or that he most probably spoke his thoughts out loud. But then again, he was flat-out drunk.

‘’What was I supposed to do?’’ Harry asks, frustrated. ‘’Just corner you in some empty office and shake you to remember?’’

‘’You could’ve talked to me like normal people do!’’ Louis snaps. ‘’Are you not capable of that?’’

‘’You have no idea what I’m capable of,’’ Harry says, eyes fierce. It’s not threatening and the way that Harry says it, is almost pained. ‘’You have no idea how much effort it took me to keep my distance from you at work, to pretend like nothing could ever come up between us because it’s more than just that one drunken moment, Louis; it’s....’’

‘’Well, that’s what I don’t get,’’ Louis says, exhausted. ‘’Liam and Zayn are practically glued to the hip and they work together. Why can they and…’’

‘’You know about the scandal.’’ Harry interrupts. ‘’You know about the publishing office almost getting sued because of that stupid rag magazine reporter. How could I ever do that to you?’’

‘’Am I not worth it?’’ Louis flaps his hands helplessly, frustrated tears finally spilling.

Yes, he remembers the scandal, remembers the reporter who came unto Harry and how, in Harry-like fashion, the alpha played along for a bit, flirted back, before he noticed the camera disguised as a pen poking out of the reporter’s pocket. Harry had plucked it out and shoved it gently against the man’s chest. Harry knew about the camera all along but wanted to toy with the reporter for thinking he was easy prey. What he didn’t account for, were the stairs. The man tripped from the shove. He lost his footing and fell down the stairs. In an effort not to admit his failure at landing an exclusive of Harry ‘’flirting’’ with some 50-year-old geezer to get ahead in his career, he decided to sue Harry for attempting to kill him.

The reporter was severely injured and under great duress, Harry had paid a settlement. Sure, the camera-pen was broken, but the fact that he paid for the man’s treatment made it seem like he’d pushed him on purpose.

Louis thought it was noble, for Harry to swallow his pride and pay for the man’s medical treatments regardless of the fact that he fell by accident. Since then, people have been throwing themselves at Harry, wanting exclusives, money, fame and fortune.

‘’Louis, you’re more than worth it but…’’

‘’I’m not like that,’’ Louis shakes his head. ‘’I’m not that type of person; I don’t want anything from you.’’

‘’I know, Lou.’’ Harry says, voice shaky. ‘’But the media would eat you alive. You read the news.’’

‘’I don’t care if you don’t.’’ Louis dares. ‘’It’s our lives, not theirs. I’m the one who’s going to live it. You know,’’ Louis wipes the tears from his face. ‘’I didn’t think you were this much of a coward.’’

‘’Excuse me?’’ the alpha gripes.

‘’The whole time I’ve worked with you, the whole time I’ve known you, everything about you has always been so bold, from your fashion sense, to your writing, to the company you keep.’’ Louis says.

He doesn’t know where his courage is coming from but he is sick and tired of hearing Harry list all the reasons why they can’t be together or better yet, why Harry would bother to say that he likes him and not do anything about it.

‘’I’ve seen you date left and right, I’ve seen the workings of your brilliant mind in your books and the first thing I always think of is how brave you are, how you don’t give a fuck what anyone says. To me, it’s one of your finest qualities.’’ Louis’ smile is small but sincere. He means it all. ‘’But this, you telling me you like me, you bringing me here only to set barriers between us…how am I supposed to walk away and pretend like everything is okay between us, hmm? I thought you were tired of being so out of reach.’’

Harry looks stunned at his words being thrown at his face.

‘’Why do you think you’re here?’’ Harry asks quietly. ‘’Did you not figure it out?’’

‘’I’m here to work with you, because you decided on a whim…’’

‘’My feelings for you did not come from a whim.’’ Harry interrupts. ‘’And yes, you may have been right about me being a coward this whole time but you’re here now. Can’t you see that I’m trying?’’

‘’Trying what?’’

‘’Only Liam and Zayn have ever been here, not even my parents or my sister.’’ Harry tells him. ‘’And now you’re here. I want you. Here.’’

Harry finally bridges the gap between them until he is but half-a-step away.

‘’I’m not sorry for looking out for your best interest.’’ Harry says, eyes sincere. ‘’I’m not sorry for holding back when I knew I was not in the right place to make a move, especially amidst the scandal. I’m not sorry for taking care of you back then when you were drunk and decided that it was not the time to bring up my feelings for you because I believed you deserved better. But I am sorry for making you ever think that it was all one-sided. I’m sorry if I ever made you uncomfortable from all my teasing and I’m sorry that I didn’t think you actually liked me back. I’m sorry that you had to go through a lot to try and get my attention and maybe thought it wasn’t working because believe me, it always did.’’ Harry then cups his face in his big warm hands. ‘’You’ve always had my attention.’’

Louis gravitates towards him until they are a hair’s breadth away. It’s impossible to hold back now, impossible not to put his hands on Harry’s hips and impossible to look away from his lips. Harry’s words have always been eloquent on paper but to see his lips move, feel his hands, hear his words, touch his hips and breathe in his scent at such a minuscule distance…Louis is now certain that what he has for Harry is not just a crush.

It’s more.

‘’Can I kiss you now? Please?’’ Harry asks, eyes straying to his lips.

Louis does not waste a moment to answer. He just presses forward and cushions his lips against Harry’s.

** Chapter 6: **

They don’t get much work done that night.

Instead they talk and talk and talk until the sun comes up. Louis has always been fascinated with Harry’s mind but it’s even more mesmerizing listening to him talking out-loud rather than read his words on paper.

Harry feels similarly about Louis.

Said boy is lying across the sofa in the spacious library, head resting on Harry’s lap. His hand is delicate where Harry is toying with his fingers, hair strands soft where he’s fiddling with it with his other hand.

It was easier speaking now with their guards down, comfortable after they gravitated towards their sofa where they couldn’t stop kissing and tasting each other.

As the night wore on, talking just seemed like a never-ending activity. Harry can’t get enough of the omega, wants to know more about his life, his living quarters, his pet dog, his college friends, his work mates, where he hangs out after office hours, what he does in his spare time. He wants to know it all.

‘’You tired?’’ Harry asks when Louis stifles a yawn. They’d started out on the sofa with Louis straddling in his lap, kissing until their lips were swollen and bruised. Louis then lay down after looking satisfied, asking if Harry wanted to work and if he should get up.

Harry said no. He was more interested in counting Louis’ eyelashes, tracing the veins on the back of his hand and watching his laugh lines appear whenever Harry told a joke.

‘’A little bit.’’ Louis shrugs. ‘’Just a little.’’

‘’Come upstairs?’’ Harry asks. ‘’There’s a guest bedroom. Well, there are many spare rooms. You can sleep over tonight.’’

‘’I have work tomorrow.’’

‘’You can work from home.’’ Harry says. ‘’You’re my new illustrator, remember? You have to work in my office from now on.’’

‘’Is that right?’’ Louis smiles.

‘’Quite right.’’ Harry says before he kisses the back of Louis’ fingers.

And so it goes.

Louis sleeps over and after sharing breakfast together, they congregate in Harry’s office to work on his new masterpiece.

It’s quite amazing, Louis thinks, wearing a pair of baggy sweat pants and a loose sweatshirt that smells like Harry since he didn’t have spare clothes with him. It’s also nice, seeing a side to Harry that is almost domesticated. Sure, the alpha is still unusual (he served quail eggs for breakfast, for example. It was tasty but Louis found it peculiar), still his quirky self but around each other, they are less tense and uptight, less professional and more at ease, less stoic and more friendly.

Louis finds him all the more lovely for it.

Liam calls at some point and Harry puts him on speaker, telling him that Louis is present and that they are working on the new fairy tale. It must have been so shocking to hear that Liam actually comes by in the afternoon, with Niall along-side him (which is a surprise), carrying bags of subway sandwiches and iced coffee.

They make a day of it, even though Harry did not look all too fond of Liam or Niall encroaching on his space or interrupting their work on the new fairy tale.

‘’How long until you’re done with it?’’ Liam asks. They’re sat in Harry’s grandiose dining room table. Every other furniture around them is covered in white sheets. Louis is yet to ask why.

‘’When Louis and I say it’s done, then it’s done. Now hurry up and finish eating. We’ve got work to do and you must leave.’’ Harry snipes, arms crossed where he’s sitting at the head of the table.

‘’Yeah, this place gives me the creeps.’’ Niall mutters, looking around like a ghost would jump out at him any minute.

‘’Niall, that’s not nice.’’ Louis admonishes him. Sure, the white sheets do give an off vibe but the guest bedroom was warm and cosy. The view of the forest outside from his balcony window was picturesque. The smell of the air was less diffused with traffic smog and more saturated with green and nature. Louis wishes he could wake up to such a sight every day.

‘’Dude, they say a murder happened in the basement here. How can you not be creeped-out about this?’’ Niall whispers harshly.

‘’Niall, Harry can hear you!’’ Louis says, shocked.

‘’It’s true though!’’

‘’Niall!’’

‘’Ouch, what did you do that for?’’ Niall cries, patting the back of his head where Liam slapped him.

‘’It’s not wise to speak of the dead.’’ Liam says, voice eerie.

The words, along with the silence of the afternoon, are enough for Niall to turn pale.

‘’So it’s true?’’ Niall asks after he gulps.

‘’Niall, let me tell you a story.’’ Harry says grandly. He relaxes in his seat suddenly, folding one leg over the other.

There’s mirth in his eyes, the type that Louis knows means he is up to no good.

‘’Once upon a time, there was a princess who lived in a castle. Her father built it for her, to keep her safe from bullies. You see, she was so beautiful and everyone wanted to be her friend, good and bad people alike. However, the princess’s mother, the queen, was not well and she could not take care of her daughter. So, the father hired a nanny to watch over his darling princess. This made the mother very jealous because her daughter was the most precious, the most beautiful princess in the world. The queen was sure that the nanny, like the people who tried to befriend her daughter, was up to no good.

So, one day, when the queen was feeling better, she devised a plan. She wore her finest clothes, pinned her butterfly brooch on her silk blouse, put on her fur coat and followed the nanny home.’’

‘’Oh no…’’ Niall squeaks, like he’s anticipating the thrilling end. To be fair, even Louis is caught in Harry’s web of story-telling, glued to his seat as he listens avidly. Liam is just sat back, smiling, as Harry grips their attention.

‘’Oh yes,’’ Harry smirks. He places his elbows on the table and leans forward, eyes on Niall, like a rattle snake about to pounce. ‘’On a long and winding road through the dense forest, the nanny was walking with her son after fetching him from school. It was a long walk home and the moon had risen high up in the dark, black sky. Out of nowhere, a figure jumped out of the dark. The nanny pushed her son back to face this oncoming danger. ‘’Who are you?’’ she asked. ‘’And what do you want?’’ The mysterious figure said nothing but merely stepped forward and stabbed the nanny with the sharp end of a silver dagger.’’

‘’Shit,’ Niall gasps.

‘’The nanny fell to the ground, eyes wide with shock as she bled to her death. The queen then approached the boy, butterfly brooch glinting in the moonlight and threatened him not to say a word. The boy, terrified and horrified, fled instantly, not once looking back.’’

‘’And the nanny?’’

‘’The queen, still having enough strength in her, dragged the nanny’s body all the way back to the castle and dumped her body in the basement.’’

‘’Oh,’’

Louis looks at Niall and wants to laugh at how seriously he’s taking Harry. He’s actually whiter than a sheet of paper, cheeks no longer rosy.

‘’However,’’ Harry says, pausing for effect. ‘’The next day, when the queen wanted to check on the body, to relish the feeling of power she felt underneath the light of the moon, guess what did she find?’’

‘’What did she find?’’ Louis speaks here. It diverts Harry’s attention from Niall to him.

Harry smiles softly at him.

‘’She found a kaleidoscope of butterflies covering the body instead. It drove her mad, so mad that she plucked out her dagger and started cutting up the butterflies, tearing their wings apart. The madness was enough to make the queen sick again. She succumbed to her death after that, leaving her darling princess behind, alone in her castle, to forever be haunted by the memory of her murderous mother.’’

‘’Would you consider that story for publication?’’ Liam asks after the aftermath silence.

Harry holds Louis’ gaze for a moment before he blinks and sits back, diverting his eyes to Liam.

‘’One day,’’ Harry answers before he smirks. ‘’You okay there, Niall?’’

‘’Peachy,’’ Niall gulps. ‘’You have one twisted mind, Mr. Styles.’’

‘’Touché,’’ Harry winks at that.

‘’But like,’’ Niall ventures. ‘’No one died in the basement here, right? That’s just a rumour. The nanny, I mean, she wasn’t really dragged here, was she?’’

Harry digs his upper teeth down on his lower lip and smiles. It makes him look like a Cheshire cat.

‘’Well…I wouldn’t know,’’ Harry shrugs. ‘’I’ve never really seen the basement since the moment I moved here.’’

Niall faints, right there on the table, much to Liam’s shock and Harry’s delight.

Louis digs him so much.

It’s a whirlwind of dating after that, of going only two days a week to the office and spending three days a week in Harry’s castle working on his newest story.

They’re almost done with it after two months of working non-stop on nothing else. To be fair, they could have been done sooner but they get too distracted sometimes, busy kissing each other.

Louis tries not to fall too hard and more often than not, fails immensely. On the days he can find an ounce of strength to walk away, Harry will offer to drive him home, even if he does it begrudgingly. To Louis, it just seems like too much to constantly sleep over.

Tonight though, Harry is being fussy.

‘’I will not stop until I get this paragraph right!’’ Harry exclaims. He’s still his demanding self and it’s nice to see that side of Harry up close, the side that others cave under.

They’ve argued before over creative differences but that’s less likely from Louis wanting to push his buttons and see how worked up he can get him until he just shuts him up by kissing him and more to do with Harry being a stubborn perfectionist.

The kissing is just a bonus at this point because Harry is a wonder to behold when he gets dramatic or when he’s facing writer’s block. He’ll start cooking in the kitchen, baking batches of cookies one after another, until he runs out of fuel and throws himself on the sofa.

The cookies are a bonus too.

But when he is driven and inspired, he’s a beast; typing furiously, fingers flying off the keys. He’s critical of Louis’ illustrations but not in a harsh or cruel, insensitive way. He seeks perfection but is patient for it. His words are encouraging and positive, enough to fuel Louis into tearing one page after another, starting all over again if he has to, until he gets Harry’s visions right.

He can honestly say they make a good team.

‘’Harry, you’re going to go cross-eyed,’’ Louis says. He gets up when Harry ignores him and stands behind his chair. He can see the tense muscles of Harry’s shoulders and is unable to stop himself from placing his hands over them.

‘’What are you doing?’’ Harry asks when Louis starts massaging his back.

‘’You need to di-stress.’’ Louis tells him, digging his heels into the bottom of Harry’s neck and pressing his thumbs in. ‘’Rest for a bit, it’s late already.’’

‘’I can’t stop,’’ Harry says forlornly. ‘’I won’t be able to sleep if I leave the story here.’’

‘’Anything I can do to distract you?’’ Louis asks. The glare from Harry’s laptop is harsh on his eyes. To be honest, he’s tired too. They’ve been working almost none stop all day today.

‘’How about you cut my hair?’’ Harry asks suddenly, tilting his head and looking at Louis upside down.

‘’What?’’

‘’Cut my hair,’’

‘’Where did that come from?’’

‘’I mean, why not?’’

‘’You serious?’’

‘’Yeah, go for it.’’

‘’Harry, what for?’’ Louis moves and stands next to him. ‘’Your hair is lovely as it is.’’

‘’I don’t know, I don’t mind doing things on a whim,’’ Harry shrugs. He gets an energized look in his eyes before he suddenly stands up and grips his hand. ‘’C’mon, let’s do it!’’

Louis lets himself be dragged to the upstairs bathroom. He lets Harry show him the scissors and the spare towel and watches as Harry bends his head under the sink to wet his hair.

Louis has no choice but to get a towel around his back so that his wet hair doesn’t fall on his shirt.

‘’You really sure about this?’’ Louis asks after Harry fetches a chair to sit on, facing the huge mirror behind the door.

‘’I’m sure,’’ Harry tells him, catching his eyes in the mirror before handing him the scissors. ‘’I trust you.’’

Louis doesn’t want to disappoint him.

He runs the comb gently through the wet strands, gripping the scissors with his free hand. He tries to buy some time, wonders how he will carry out the task bestowed upon him.

In the end, one look into Harry’s trusting eyes is enough to make him take a leap of faith.

He inhales as he opens the scissors, and then takes his first snip.

It gets easier after that, evening out the ends until finally, Harry’s hair is shorn short enough that his little ears appear and the back of his neck is on display.

His alpha scent is stronger now with no hindrance in place.

‘’You stopped,’’ Harry notes, pulling him out of his pheromone-induced trance. ‘’Everything okay?’’

‘’Yeah,’’ Louis clears his throat. ‘’Yeah, you can look now.’’

Louis places the scissors on the counter before he grabs the small mirror and angles it for Harry to see the back of his head through the mirror's reflection.

‘’Does it look okay?’’ Louis asks.

‘’I love it,’’ Harry says, pulling the towel away and turning his face left and right. ‘’I feel lighter.’’

‘’Yeah?’’

‘’Yeah, like…’’ Harry sighs. ‘’My mum, she had always loved my hair, loved that it was just like hers. She wanted me to be a mirror-image of her, even in the way we looked.’’

Louis knows that Harry’s mum is a famous crime novelist. She passed away long before she and Harry could rectify whatever disagreements they had between them.

Louis wonders if this is the first time Harry ever brings her up.

‘’When my dad bought this castle, it was a present for my getting into medical school but my mum bought all the furniture to be exactly like her summer house. She filled the library with medical books, decorated every corner to her own whims. It didn’t feel like my house after that, it felt like hers and I was just a temporary occupant.’’

There’s a faraway look in Harry’s eyes as he tells a story Louis is sure a lot of people don’t know about and he is wont to disrupt.

‘’When I quit medical school, she threw a bigger fit than my dad. I wasn’t as upset about it now as I was back then when she cut me off. Back then, I was shocked that she didn’t want me to be a writer like her, when she wanted everything else about me to be. It was then, that I realized that she felt threatened.’’

A dark look crosses over Harry’s eyes as he says this.

‘’She valued her success more than my well-being and didn’t want me having to compete with her. She kept saying I wouldn’t be successful, that my writing isn’t as good as hers and won’t ever be. For the first time in my life, I felt rebellious instead of obedient, spiteful instead of docile. I wanted to defy her, wanted to prove her wrong. In the end, I did.’’

Harry stands up here and turns around, eyes soft but fierce.

‘’It stuck with me after that,’’ he continues. ‘’Every time I feel like I can’t achieve something or a hindrance is in the way, I get this urge to do something reckless, something that she would disapprove of. It always feels liberating.’’

‘’I see,’’ Louis gets it now, gets the power behind proving someone wrong and succeeding in it. In a way, a lot about Harry makes sense now, knowing the drive behind his actions isn’t without reason. ‘’she wouldn’t have wanted you to cut your hair.’’

‘’Exactly,’’

‘’But you look good though,’’ Louis reaches up and cradles Harry’s cheek, fingers reaching for an ear lobe. ‘’This was a good decision.’’

‘’Glad you like it,’’ Harry smiles, popping a dimple.

‘’Is this why you cover the furniture?’’ Louis can’t help but ask, folding his arms over his chest.

‘’Well, I wanted to get rid of it all,’’ Harry shrugs. ‘’But after she passed away, I couldn’t bear to throw them away. In the end, she’s still my mother.’’

Louis nods. He knows the feeling of being wanted by someone who doesn’t want you in the same way you do. He felt that way for a long time when it came to Harry but that was before the misunderstanding and their new reality.

He’s glad they’re at a better place now.

‘’C’mere,’’ he beckons Harry into his arms and takes a deep breath as he hugs him. Their height difference makes Harry engulf his smaller frame but it puts him exactly where he wants to be, face tucked into the juncture between Harry’s neck and shoulder, where the scent of sandalwood and cinnamon is richer, fuller.

He takes his fill as Harry hugs him tight.

''Do you know what you smell like to me?'' Harry asks, tugging his smaller body closer. It's then that Louis realizes that Harry is taking his fill too, face squished in the space between his neck and shoulder.

''What?''

''You smell like lavender,'' Harry says before he takes a loud, deep breathe. ''You smell like comfort,''

''Thanks,''

''No,'' Harry stands upright, ''Thank you for cutting my hair and for giving me a chance.''

''Harry...''

''You make me bold, Lou.'' Harry interrupts gently. ''You make me strong and most importantly, you make me brave.''

''You have always been brave,''

''But not brave enough to talk to you sooner, or brave enough to make a move.''

''It's okay, we're in a better place now,''

''We are,''

Harry leans forward to hold him again. It's a feeling he's slowly getting used to.

** Chapter 7 **

Louis is tired and horny.

For the past week, he’s had nothing but Harry, Harry, Harry constantly on his mind. Add to that these past two months, which has been a complete and utter bliss and well, a man has limits.

‘’It’s the only thing left, Haz. It can wait.’’ Louis says, rubbing at his eyes. They’ve pulled another all-nighter, trying to finalize everything now that Liam had set a deadline on them. They’ve got nothing but the title left, even the font has already been decided.

‘’No it can’t. The title is the most important part, Lou.’’ Harry refutes, pacing in front of him. He’s wearing black slacks and a white shirt, tucked in, the sleeves folded to the elbow. It’s one of his sexiest looks to date, Louis thinks.

They’re finally at nick-name basis but that isn’t the only thing that is different about their relationship. Louis finally realized, about a month ago, that his feelings for Harry have a name.

It’s called love.

What he felt before, admiring and crushing over Harry from afar is nothing to what he feels now.

If only he knew, that Harry felt the same.

****

All his pacing has less to do with the title and more with the fact that Harry just doesn't want Louis to leave. He’s heard on the news that a patient has escaped from the psychiatric ward that is located just across the forest and it’s got him worried enough to stay in for the night instead of offering to drive him home.

‘’Well, you can do all your pacing without me. I’m knackered.’’ Louis yawns as he stands up and cracks his back before sitting back down to put his shoes on.

‘’Just sleep over then. You look tired.’’ Harry says. He stops pacing and comes to sit next to Louis on the sofa, where he usually prefers to work when it gets late. He rubs his back up and down while Louis ties the shoelaces of his vans.

‘’My fingers are full of ink,’’ Louis notes, looking at his hands before he looks up at Harry suddenly. ‘’You smell good.’’

‘’Is that something new?’’ Harry says cockily, lips turning into a smirk.

‘’No, I mean,’’ Louis sits up, throat swallowing. ‘’I feel like I can say that now.’’

The air shifts around them. They’ve been getting closer and closer as the weeks have gone by and Harry’s loved every single thing about it. Louis is a good illustrator, a truly talented one, a hidden gem but he’s also a good friend, a good person. It’s one thing to hear about those qualities from Zayn and Liam but another thing entirely to be in the midst of all that is Louis, up close and surrounding him.

There’s so much to love about him, like sharing early-morning cuddles, long drives out of the forest with nothing but the moonlight and headlights to guide them. He loves the way Louis holds his cup in both hands to try and get them warm, loves it when Louis blows him air kisses across the room when his eyes stray away from the screen of his laptop.

He loves him, pure and simple.

The realization isn’t a rumbling thunder. It doesn’t make the earth shake. It doesn’t split the ground open. It just makes something inside him settle, like a blanket of snow, or warmth seeping into his fingers after holding unto a fresh cup of tea.

He loves Louis, the strongest, kindest and loveliest of omegas he’s ever known.

And he doesn’t want him to leave, not when his tired eyes are looking at him, long lashes framing his cheeks perfectly.

‘’You can always say whatever you want to me,’’ Harry says quietly, eyes on Louis’ lips, wanting, yearning for...

Suddenly, Louis gets up.

‘’Where’re you going?’’ Harry asks, following Louis as he approaches the desk and starts packing up his satchel.

‘’I have to go already, it’s late.’’ Louis insists.

‘’So stay over,’’

‘’I stayed over yesterday,’’

‘’Stay over again.’’

‘’That’s not right,’’

‘’Why not?’’

‘’I have no spare clothes!’’

‘’I can lend you some.’’

‘’I can’t wear the same underwear twice, Haz.’’

‘’You can borrow some of mine.’’

‘’No!’’

‘’Why not?’’

‘’Because!’’

‘’Louis!’’

‘’What?’’

‘’I love you!’’

It’s enough to make Louis stop fumbling with his bag and turn towards him.

‘’What did you say?’’

‘’I love you,’’ Harry repeats.

‘’Are you saying that on a whim?’’ Louis asks suddenly, leaving his bag. ‘’Or you’re just saying that to keep me here?’’

‘’I’m saying it because I mean it,’’

‘’No, you don’t.’’ Louis walks away to the other side of the desk and picks up his coat. ‘’You’re tired and feeling reckless. That’s all.’’

‘’Louis, I love you. I mean it,’’ Harry holds his elbow when Louis comes close enough to grab his satchel. ‘’It’s not on a whim. I promise.’’

Louis drops the coat and the bag. They land at his feet with a light thud. He must’ve seen something in his eyes to make him believe him and Harry hopes he sees the truth, sees the raw honesty written all over his face.

He didn’t think he would blurt out his feelings like this, when both of them are tired and over-worked or way past a decent hour.

But he means it.

‘’Say something,’’ Harry urges.

‘’It’s too soon.’’ Louis tells him, his eyes big and terrified.

‘’Not soon enough,’’ Harry says, following Louis when he backs up until he has him pushing back on the desk, leaning away. ‘’Why are you fighting this? I love you.’’

Louis keeps staring at him while he leans closer and closer and…

A loud grunting sound fills the air, making them startle slightly apart.

‘’Was that the deer we saw the other week on our way here?’’ Louis asks, looking towards the tall glass windows. They almost had an accident when a deer blocked the road. Thank goodness for Harry's quick reflexes, stopping the car just at the nick of time.

‘’Yes,’’ Harry grits before he shouts towards the source of sound. ‘’Cut it out you stupid deer!’’

The deer stops grunting suddenly.

Harry and Louis look at each other in stunned silence before they burst out laughing.

It eases something in Louis' heart, knowing how at ease they are with each other now, compared to before, when Louis would stare from afar or do anything to get Harry’s attention. They’ve come a long way from merely co-existing to now, where they can banter and work together so smoothly, talk effortlessly until they’ve slipped into a feeling of comfort and ease.

Harry looks back at Louis and relishes the notion that he is allowed to make Louis laugh now, allowed to see his smile up close instead of pining from afar, day-dreaming about it in his car after he waltzes out of their office building, trying to make it seem like it’s never on purpose when he’d walk by Louis’ desk just a little closer, just to steal a tiny glance of him.

It’s almost nearly impossible, considering how everyone around the office is always too aware of him whenever he makes an appearance in the building.

Right now though, there’s no one but them.

Right now, Harry wants to look all he wants.

Right now, he can.

‘’Lou?’’

‘’Yeah, Haz?’’

‘’I love you,’’

Louis’ eyes soften immensely and when Harry finally kisses him, a tear falls from his eyes.

Harry is unable to stop, not when the depth of his feelings has been laid at Louis’ feet, not after bearing his soul. He leans over Louis until he’s flat on his back on the desk.

Harry doesn’t stop kissing him.

He relishes it all the more when Louis wraps his arms around him and pulls him closer.

** Chapter 8 **

A line of clothes trail up towards Harry’s bed; a pair of black ankle boots, a crumpled white shirt, a pair of skinny jeans, an over-sized grey hoodie, two pairs of black boxers and one pair of socks, decorate the floor from Harry’s bedroom door all the way to the top of the duvet crumpled at the bottom of the bed.

Two bodies lie intertwined under the blankets.

One of them awakes.

Harry looks down at where Louis has his head tucked into his chest, breaths soft across his skin. He’s warm where he’s glued to his side, naked underneath the sheets.

He smells divine.

Harry tucks his nose into Louis’ bedhead and gets his arm back around his waist, before he falls back to sleep.

‘’Love how sensitive these are,’’ Harry muses as he swipes his tongue over Louis’ nipples, alternating between the two. ‘’They’re so perky.’’

‘’Haz, stop teasing,’’ Louis moans, fingers of one hand buried in his hair, the other gripping the bed sheets. ‘’Haz…’’

‘’Shh, just enjoy this, babe. I’ll take care of you,’’ Harry says as he swallows Louis’ moans, tongue diving in as he kisses him filthily.

They could hardly leave the bed after sleeping together the night before and though they’re having another round of sex, it’s looking to turn out just as mind-blowing as the first time.

Louis’ slick is leaking heavily and the scent of lavender is driving Harry wild, making him bite harder, marking Louis’ neck up.

‘’Mine, mine,’’ Louis gasps, fingernails digging into the back of Harry’s exposed neck. ‘’My alpha,’’

‘’Yours, omega. Forever.’’ Harry licks his scent gland with one long swipe, from his collarbone all the way to the back of his ear before he starts pushing his hard dick into Louis’ wet hole.

‘’Hurry, please,’’ Louis urges, feet crossed behind him, digging into the small of his back. ‘’want you again, want you now.’’

‘’I’m here, I love you, I’m here,’’ Harry babbles as he pushes until he’s all the way in, deeper than before now that Louis’ hole is more open from the first fuck.

‘’I can feel you right here,’’ Louis moans, freeing his hand from the bed sheets and pressing down his abdomen. ‘’Feels so good,’’

Just the thought that he’s that deep in Louis makes Harry’s inner alpha want to howl with victory or something akin to triumph over satisfying his omega so thoroughly.

‘’Fuck,’’ Harry starts thrusting in and out, wants to go deeper and deeper, until he’s so buried in Louis that he can’t ever leave, until his omega is marked up inside too.

‘’Baby, look at me,’’ Harry begs. He wants Louis to open his eyelids and look at him with those whirlpools of his.

‘’Haz…’’ Louis’ blue eyes appear along with a blissed-out smile. His arms come around his neck, bringing him down for a kiss. ‘’Hi,’’

‘’Hi baby,’’ Harry smiles. ‘’Love your eyes. Prettiest pair I’ve ever seen.’’

‘’Haz?’’

‘’Yeah baby?’’ Harry says before he pushes in deep and stays there for a moment, pressing in on Louis’ prostate and watching his face slacken and his lips moan loud.

‘’Sa-rang-hae,’’ Louis gasps after his head falls back, his words coming out breathy.

‘’Is that Korean?’’

‘’Yeah,’’ Louis chuckles before he gasps again at a particularly harsh thrust. Harry won’t stop hitting his spot now that he’s found it. ‘’It means I love you and I do –fuck, you fuck me so good you sexy beast- I love you so much.’’

‘’More than those Korean drama shows you watch?’’ Harry teases.

‘’More than your teasing,’’

Harry smiles wider.

‘’But I love teasing you, baby.’’

‘’Well, I’d love you more if you fuck me harder. Is that too much to ask, big boss?’’ Louis goads.

The words spur him on, makes heat sizzle out to his limbs, spread in his veins and arteries and every nerve in him.

‘’Baby,’’ his thrusts get reckless and more frantic after that, wanting to shower Louis in his love. He loves this omega, loves his big heart, his patient soul, his attentiveness to his stress, his need to always care for him, for others, his ability to know what he needs when it comes to his creativity, his admiration of wonderful works of art. He loves his talent, loves his humility. He even loves the pads of his fingers and the whorls on his thumbs.

He loves his moans as he swallows them, loves the way that tears of bliss leak out of the corner of his eyes as Harry’s knot starts to form, locking him in, coming inside of him and painting his insides with his seed.

He loves his cries of ecstasy, loves his joyful smile when he looks up at him, eyelashes wet and blue eyes almost sparking in the aftermath of his knotting.

‘’Lou, you close?’’ Harry asks, tucking in a sweaty strand of hair behind his ear.

‘’I’m so close, I…fuck.’’ Louis curses as Harry thrusts in roughly, making Louis start coming untouched. ‘’Haz…’’

Harry watches in fascination as spots of red appear high on Louis’ cheekbones, making him almost glow. He pays attention to every detail as Louis comes down from his high, as he exhales in satisfaction, as his lips form a wide ‘’o’’ at the stretch of his knot. His alpha feels proud, honoured to have pleased his omega so well.

He fits his mouth against Louis’ lips and relishes the way Louis automatically reciprocates, tongues playing languidly as they enjoy their bliss.

‘’You okay, love?’’ Harry asks after a swipe of tongue.

‘’More than okay,’’ Louis sighs, stretching his arms up before locking them with Harry’s where his elbows frame Louis’ head. ‘’I’m all fucked out and full.’’

‘’Yeah?’’ Harry pushes in deeper and feels his seeds spurting, still coming inside Louis.

‘’You sure know how to please me so well,’’ Louis moans.

‘’You sure know how to take it,’’ Harry complements back.

‘’Kiss me,’’ Louis demands softly.

Harry obeys and spends the rest of the time it takes for his knot to die down bruising Louis’ lips until they’re plumped up and swollen from his kisses.

When he finally lets Louis up, he’s a sight to behold.

‘’I feel like yours,’’ Louis says as he looks at himself in the bathroom mirror while Harry turns on the shower. They're both naked.

‘’You like it?’’ Harry asks, coming up behind Louis and wrapping his arms around his waist.

‘’I like this,’’ Louis says, reaching back and pointing at a hickey on the side of Harry’s neck. Harry holds his hand and keeps his fingers there over the mark of Louis’ teeth on him.

‘’I want more of them next time,’’ Harry whispers to his ear before he bites Louis’ lobe playfully.

''Yeah?''

''Yeah, Lou,'' Harry says, bulge plumping up as he grinds into Louis from behind.

''You sure are tireless, big boss.'' Louis gasps, tilting his head sideways as he looks up at Harry.

''I really want to know where that title came from,''

''Can't you guess?'' Louis grounds back into his growing hard-on purposely, a teasing lilt to his lips.

''You serious? Because of my dick?''

''C'mon Haz, everyone in the office knows you pack some serious heat,'' Louis smirks. ''Remember back in the day when you used to wear those skinny jeans? The white pair of trousers that were literally painted on your legs? it got coined from that one day you showed up to the office wearing that pair.''

''Who perpetuated it?''

''Zayn, duh.''

''I am so going to fire his ass,''

''You say that every day,'' Louis grounds back into him again. ''Now, I think we have some important matters to take care of, yes?''

It’s not long after their shower before they go another round, this time, Louis riding his big boss. If the word ''daddy'' slips from his lips after Harry shoves him on the bed to take over, well, Louis is not surprised nor is he ashamed, not after it gets Harry to drill into him so fucking hard, he sees stars. He really got lucky this time.

Chapter 9:

‘’The boy with the glass heart,’’ Harry says grandly, looking up at the large audience in the mall where the first round of promo for his newest masterpiece is taking place.

There’s a mini stage for him and the projector screen next to him. Louis is sat on his other side, flipping the slides.

‘’Once upon a time, there was a boy who lived in a castle deep in a forest. His heart was made of glass and therefore, it was so easy for it to get broken. One too many times, people broke his heart. They just couldn’t be careful with a boy whose heart was made of glass. And so, the boy decided to break people’s hearts in turn. He liked it because it meant he wouldn't be the one always getting hurt anymore.’’ Harry starts.

‘’One day, he was cursed by the shadow witch for this; she put a spell on him, saying that he won’t ever be able to love anyone but he will seek it. She cursed him by giving him a tin chest made of spikes. She said that the only way to break the curse is to be hugged. But, whenever he tried to hug his friends, his tin chest would hurt them. Whenever he tried to love someone, they broke his heart into tiny shards of glass, which clanked and made noises inside his tin chest. The boy decided to set out on a journey to break the curse. On his journey, he met a boy called blue.’’ Harry smiled, eyes still looking at the words of his book.

‘’Blue was curious about the tin chest and the glass heart. He decided to try and hug the boy but the boy refused, ‘’my sharp edges would hurt you,’’ he said. So blue decided to painstakingly pull the spikes away one by one until his fingers bled from the sharp edges. It hurt a lot but Blue was patient, taking the spikes down until they were all gone. ‘’I’m sorry for hurting you,’’ Blue said. He did not look away, even though the boy looked quite ugly now, with his bloody tin chest. Blue was sad to have hurt the boy by removing his spikes. He spilled tears that flowed like rivers. ‘’Can you hug me now?’’ the boy asked, afraid that his ugliness would make Blue recoil from him. But Blue kept crying. ‘’I have a heart made of glass. It cannot love because it cannot beat. Maybe you can love me instead.’’ So Blue decided to step closer and then, gently and carefully, he hugged the boy tenderly. His tears were still spilling, until they leaked into the holes in the boy’s chest and reached into his glass heart. His tears were spilled out of love and it was enough to mend the chipped pieces of his glass heart, making it whole again. It was enough to break the curse.’’

There were audible gasps of joy in the audience and Harry looked up briefly to gauge the children’s reaction before he continued reading.

‘’The glass heart morphed into a real one and started beating again. The bloody tin chest disappeared into a boy’s chest. When the boy looked up, Blue was smiling widely at him, arms still around him. ‘’I think I can love you now,’’ the boy said. Blue stepped back but held his hand out. ‘’Then let’s get home and live the rest of our lives loving each other.’’ The boy took Blue’s hand and did not ever let go.’’

Harry looks up as he closes the book. He catches Louis’ loving eyes briefly before he smiles widely at his audience.

‘’The End,’’

‘’Can I ask you something?’’ Louis asks. It’s late at night and Harry is driving them back to his castle. It’s been another day of promo and one outlandish party that he and Harry decided to sneak out from. Harry did all the necessary rounds and Liam will be able to handle their absence. Besides, Louis is tired and Harry looks like it too. Moreover, it’s not the first party thrown in Harry’s favour, celebrating the success of yet another fairy tale.

‘’Sure,’’ Harry says, hands resting loosely on the console. His hand opens up though and like instinct, Louis slots his fingers with his.

It’s almost scary how easily they fit and Louis wonders if it’s just the honeymoon phase but it’s been almost two weeks since they’ve slept together and Louis already feels like they’ve been in love for a much longer while.

‘’The omega that Liam had set you up with, the illustrator,’’ Louis clarifies quickly after Harry slides him a quick glance. ‘’Was he at the party today?’’

Harry’s not one to leave parties early and Louis knows him long enough to know that; knows that Harry loves the glam and the fashion, loves dressing up and garnering people’s attention. To be fair, he is drop-dead gorgeous and Louis doesn’t mind when people look. He’s immensely proud of Harry and loves the way he feels like a king standing next to him, especially the way that Harry would curl his fingers around his hip and pull him closer as he socializes with people. He did it at every single party since the book reading at the mall, telling everybody that he is Harry’s new illustrator.

But tonight, after Harry was done with his rounds, he told Louis that he was tired and wanted to go home and celebrate just the two of them. Louis didn’t mind.

Except that the last person that Harry met before he decided to drag Louis away was definitely a feisty omega and one that Harry was not too nice to.

‘’Yeah, he was,’’ Harry says after a long while. ‘’Boris Jacobson.’’

‘’You know him quite well,’’ Louis notes.

‘’Not exactly,’’ Harry hedges. ‘’He’s rude if nothing else and isn’t very kind to alphas, thinks we’re all fuelled by our pheromones, like we’re all just a bunch of knobheads. Hate his guts.’’

‘’Why did Liam want you guys to work together?’’

‘’Because he figured I wouldn’t sleep with a person I hate,’’ Harry says warily. ‘’He does have valid concerns but I’m not like that anymore. I haven’t been in a while. It’s just…’’

‘’You wanted to maintain your reputation,’’ Louis understands, knows the Harry that he loves isn’t the Harry that the public knows. Everyone thinks the alpha is just starved for attention, would do anything for the media to pay print pieces about his books.

‘’More like it was just easy giving people what they wanted to see,’’ Harry explains. ‘’It became easier to hide the real me, when I just gave them that front, you know?’’

‘’Yeah,’’ Louis sighs.

After they arrive in the castle and they retire to Harry’s bedroom, Harry pulls him close to his side where they’re sat up talking late into the night.

‘’I’m not like that anymore,’’ Harry points out. ‘’I love you and that’s changed me. You changed me.’’

‘’I hope I’m worth it,’’ Louis says as he burrows into Harry’s chest.

‘’You are,’’ Harry tightens his arm around his shoulder. ‘’You’re good for me. You make everything okay,’’

‘’You’re good for me too,’’ Louis tells him. ‘’And I don’t mean because of all the job offers I got.’’ Having his name printed in a Harry Styles book sure got him a lot of buzz and it sure got him a lot of hand-shakes from future prospects. But Louis turned them down. He wasn’t really interested in betraying Harry like that.

‘’What do you mean?’’

‘’I think you really care about me and my future, even if it means I leave working for you,’’ Louis says carefully but Harry just looks at him silently. ‘’I know how much you value professionalism and I know it’s been on your mind.’’

‘’I won’t let it get the better of me,’’ Harry promises. ‘’We can still work together…’’

‘’But it won’t be professional.’’ Louis interrupts.

‘’Than I support whatever decision you want,’’ Harry shrugs. ‘’I’m not going to stand in your way, I promise.’’

‘’I know,’’ Louis has to kiss him. He knows deep in his heart that Harry wouldn’t stop him from quitting if he wanted to but to have it proven just makes him love him more.

‘’Have you thought about it a lot?’’

''You mean the job offers?''

''Yeah,''

‘’Well, I was more like thinking of going back to being your art director,’’ Louis says and then continues when Harry was about to interrupt. ‘’And do illustrations on the side. I want to be able to do both,’’

‘’You sure you want to juggle both?’’ Harry asks. ‘’I could get you an assistant.’’

‘’Harry, no need for special treatment…’’

‘’No, hear me out,’’ Harry explains. ‘’Your work got a lot of buzz, that can’t be denied. Therefore, we need to be ready for incoming contracts. Whatever piece you choose to work on, it will add up to the company’s sales. You will need an assistant then, to help handle the traffic.’’

Louis tilts his head; professionally, Harry is not wrong. If people are truly serious about their offers and want him to illustrate for them the way he did for Harry, it’ll definitely boost the company’s work reputation, making it garner more attention and demand.

‘’I think I will have a talk with Liam come Monday morning,’’ Louis says.

‘’You go do that,’’ Harry smiles, relief evident in his face.

‘’You were really scared I’d leave for another prospect?’’ Louis teases.

‘’Nah, not really.’’ Harry pecks his button nose. ‘’I’ll miss your pretty face around the office, that’s all.’’

‘’Hmm, me too.’’ Louis pushes his pointer finger into Harry’s dimple, watching Harry’s smile widen. ‘’Glad I won’t have to miss it now, big boss.’’

‘’Kiss me?’’ Harry asks. His voice is full of adoration.

‘’Always,’’ Louis tilts his face forward and kisses his alpha.

Outside the window of the spacious bedroom, the full moon shines brightly over the castle where the happy couple are enjoying the warmth underneath the blankets. The heat radiating from their touches sizzles as their bodies intertwine as one, just like their hearts.

The End

**Author's Note:**

> comments and kudos are highly appreciated :D
> 
> Please do support the other authors and fics in this fic fest. I am sure they are all quite amazing :D


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